Kim Jong-un orders clean-up at 'pathetic' North Korean funfair

Public attack on officials at Mangyongdae Funfair designed to 'spook' Communist establishment

LIFE IN North Korea is not easy, but the country's new leader Kim Jong-un appears to be determined to bring a little joy to his downtrodden subjects - by sprucing up an amusement park in suburban Pyongyang.

The 'Great Successor', as Kim is known, visited the Mangyongdae Funfair with his advisers this week and was shocked by what he saw, according to state media, and immediately ordered a clean up to be overseen by one of the most senior figures in the North Korean military.

North Korean news service KCNA gave a vivid account of Kim's outrage as the tour of the theme park unfolded. It reported how he was shocked to see weeds growing between paving stones and "with an irritated look, plucked them up one by one".

But despite his fury, Kim was still able to summon up some wise words as he "scolded" officials. "The darkest place is under the candlestick," he mused before telling staff they had shown "below-zero spirit" for serving the customer.

Other reports said that he was upset to notice a damaged path in front of a Viking-themed ride at the park and described it as "pathetic". That was a view the West came to last year when pictures of the amusement park were leaked prompting derisory headlines.

However, things are now set to change and the clean-up operation will serve to rid the park of its "outdated ideological point of view" revealed KCNA.

And it could have a wider political significance. According to AFP the unexpected visit and vocal criticism will "spook" government officials and help Kim tighten his grip on the bureaucratic elite.

His visit comes the day after he announced plans for a master plan for agriculture and land management to improve living standards in the poverty-stricken state.

It includes protecting water supplies and Kim said he wanted the entire country to be covered in "thick woodland and greenery". He added: "It is necessary to turn Pyongyang into the capital city of the sacred revolution, magnificent and picturesque world-class city based on the revolutionary outlook on the leader."